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ברכת המזון לחנוכה | Poetic Birkat haMazon for Ḥanukkah, reconstructed from multiple Cairo Geniza manuscripts by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer

This is a reconstruction of a liturgy for a Birkat haMazon for Ḥanukkah witnessed in multiple Cairo Geniza manuscripts, including Cambridge CUL: T-S H4.13, T-S H6.37, T-S 8H10.14, T-S NS 328.56, T-S NS 328.61, T-S AS 101.293; New York JTS: ENA 2885.7; Oxford: MS heb. e.71/27 – MS heb. e.71/32; St. Peterburg: Yevr. III B 135.

Note: “The CAUSE” is used to translate the Divine Name YHVH, based on the philosophical idea of God as the Prime Mover and on the interpretation of the Name as a causative form of the copula – “causes to be.”


TABLE HELP

Source (Hebrew)Translation (English)
אָדוֹן שַׂמֵּחַ אֹם לָךְ מְחַכָּה
בְּאוֹר צֹהַר חֲנֻכָּה
גֹּדֶל דּוּמָה הִשְׁפִּיל עַד דַּכָּה
דָּגוּל וּמְרוֹמַם עַל כׇּל בְּרָכָה
הָמוֹן שֵׂעִיר תְּאַבֵּד
וַעֲטֶרֶת מְשִׁיחָךְ תְּרַבֵּד
זֶרַע יוֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח יָעַט מִיָּדָךְ רָבִיד
חֹק לְשׁוֹרֵר שִׁיר חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת לְדָוִד
כַּכָּתוּב —
מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד׃
אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ יְ֭הֹוָה כִּ֣י דִלִּיתָ֑נִי
וְלֹֽא־שִׂמַּ֖חְתָּ אֹיְבַ֣י לִֽי׃ (תהלים ל:א-ב)
וְנֶאֱמַר —
פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ
וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן׃ (תהלים קמה:טז)
‫בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַזָּן אֶת־הַכֹּל‬‪׃‬
Allow the people waiting for You to rejoice, Master,
By the glowing light of Ḥanukkah
Crushed low, the great Silencer has fallen,
Distinguished and high over all blessings.
Endless hordes of Seir You will destroy,
Foretold Messiah’s crown You will place,
Grandchildren of the tent-dweller will be adorned by Your hand.
Hearken to David’s ordained song of the rededication of the house!
As it is written:
“A psalm, song of the dedication of the house, David’s.
I will exult you, CAUSE, for I was crushed low,
but my enemies did not rejoice over me.” (Psalms 30:1-2)
And it is said:
“You open up Your hand
and satiate all life as willed.” (Psalms 145:16)
‪Blessed are You, CAUSE, who feeds all.
טָרַפְתָּ בְּנֵי יְוָנִים
יַחַד עַל יַד בְּנֵי חַשְׁמוֹנִים
כְּזִכְרָךְ בְּרִית אֵיתָנִים
לְעַמָּךְ זִהַרְתָּ הֱיוֹת דָּת מְשַׁנְּנִים
מְטַמְּאֲכֶם עַל קֶרֶן כּוֹתְבִים
נוֹאֲמִים אֵין גּוֹאֵל לָאֲהוּבִים
סִלַּפְתָּם מֵאֶרֶץ עַל יְדֵי קְרוֹבִים
עֲלַת חֲנֻכַּת בֵּית אֱלָהּ דְּנָה מַקְרִיבִים
כַּכָּתוּב —
וְהַקְרִ֗בוּ לַחֲנֻכַּת בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֣א
דְנָה֒ תּוֹרִ֣ין מְאָ֔ה
דִּכְרִ֣ין מָאתַ֔יִן
אִמְּרִ֖ין אַרְבַּ֣ע מְאָ֑ה
וּצְפִירֵ֨י עִזִּ֜ין לחטיא לְחַטָּאָ֤ה עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ תְּרֵֽי־עֲשַׂ֔ר
לְמִנְיָ֖ן שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (עזרא ו:יז)
וְנֶאֱמַר —
וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ
וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ
עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃ (דברים ח:י)
‫בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה עַל הָאָרֶץ וְעַל הַמָּזוֹן‬‪׃‬
Injuring gravely the Ionians
Juxtaposed with the Hasmoneans,
Keeping the covenant with the great ones,
Law worth repeating illuminated for your people.
Marring Your corners, defilers wrote:
No rescue is there for the beloved ones!”
Out of the land you pushed them via the close ones,
Proffering offerings for the dedication of that Divine House.
As it is written:
“And they offered for the dedication of that Divine House:
bulls — 100,
rams — 200,
lambs — 400,
goats as a sin-offering for all Israel — 12,
per the number of the tribes of Israel.” (Ezra 6:17)
And it is said:
“And you shall eat and you shall be sated
and you shall bless the CAUSE your God
for the good land given you.” (Deuteronomy 8:10)
Blessed are You, CAUSE, for the land and for the food.‬
פְּדֵה קְהַל יְשָׁרִים
צוּר הַנֶּאֱדָר בָּאַדִּירִים
קָרֵב זְכוּת שְׁלֹשֶׁת הוֹרִים
רָם יָדָךְ עֲלֵיהֶם תָּרִים
שְׁבִיעִית חֲנֻכָּה תָּחִישׁ לַנֶּאֱמָנִים
שַׁדַּי שׁוֹמֵר אֱמוּנִים
תְּאַבֵּד שְׁאֵרִית מְעַנִּים
תַּחֲנֹךְ אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים
כַּכָּתוּב —
אֶ֭בֶן מָאֲס֣וּ הַבּוֹנִ֑ים
הָ֝יְתָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ פִּנָּֽה׃ (תהלים קיח:כב)
וְנֶאֱמַר —
בּוֹנֵ֣ה יְרֽוּשָׁלַ֣‍ִם יְהֹוָ֑ה
נִדְחֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל יְכַנֵּֽס׃ (תהלים קמז:ב)
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה בּוֹנֵה בְרַחֲמָיו יְרוּשָׁלַיִם אָמֵן׃
Quick, redeem the upright community,
Rock, most awesome of all awesome ones!
Soon, in the merit of the three patriarchs,
Take up your great hand against them.
Until the seventh rededication, very soon for the faithful!
Watching over the believers, the Almighty,
X-terminating the remaining torturers.
You will dedicate the zenith stone rejected by the builders!
As it is written:
“The stone rejected by the builders
has become the zenith cornerstone.” (Psalms 118:22)
And it is said:
“Rebuilder of Jerusalem is the CAUSE,
who gathers the exiles of Israel.”‬ (Psalms 147:2)
‪Blessed are You, CAUSE, who mercifully rebuilds Jerusalem, amen.‬

Source(s)

Cambridge, CUL AS 101.293, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C197781

Cambridge, CUL AS 101.293, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C197782

Cambridge, CUL NS 328.56, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C413366

Cambridge, CUL NS 328.56, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C413367

Cambridge, CUL NS 328.61, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C413378

Cambridge, CUL NS 328.61, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C413379

Cambridge, CUL T-S 8H10.14, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C281952

Cambridge, CUL T-S 8H10.14, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C281953

Cambridge, CUL T-S H4.13, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C242900

Cambridge, CUL T-S H4.13, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C242901

Cambridge, CUL T-S H6.37, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C243956

Cambridge, CUL T-S H6.37, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C243957

Cambridge, CUL T-S H6.37, Fragment 2r, FGP No. C243958

JTS ENA 2885.7, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C30236

JTS ENA 2885.7, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C30235

Oxford MS heb. e.71-27, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C472330

Oxford MS heb. e.71-27, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C472414

Oxford MS heb. e.71-28, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C472423

Oxford MS heb. e.71-28, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C472284

Oxford MS heb. e.71-29, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C472397

Oxford MS heb. e.71-29, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C472311

Oxford MS heb. e.71-30, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C472429

Oxford MS heb. e.71-30, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C472291

Oxford MS heb. e.71-31, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C472402

Oxford MS heb. e.71-31, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C472317

Oxford MS heb. e.71-32, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C472269

Oxford MS heb. e.71-32, Fragment 1v, FGP No. C472452

St. Peterburg Yevr. III B 135, Fragment 1r, FGP No. C495262

St. Peterburg Yevr. III B 135, Fragment 2r, FGP No. C495263

St. Peterburg Yevr. III B 135, Fragment 3r, FGP No. C495264

 


 

 

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